How to score…
Tot up the number of As, Bs, Cs and Ds you scored, then read the answer that matches your highest score.

Mostly A's
You're a 'foodie' parent
You love cooking and making dishes from scratch. You buy organic foods and local produce and get your meat, fish, fruit and veg from local shops or farmer's markets. You scrutinise foods labels when you're in the supermarket and buy healthier options. This is great news for your kids because it means they won't have loads of additives or trans fats in their diet.
Make it healthier
You still need to make sure the meals you prepare don't contain too much fat, sugar and salt. Homemade desserts and cakes can be packed with sugar – even if you use brown sugar or honey instead of the white stuff. Meanwhile, adding butter or crème fraîche to dishes will increase saturates. And organic chocolate, biscuits and crisps contain just as many calories and as much fat, sugar and salt as regular ones.

Mostly B's
You're a 'juggling' parent
You're always juggling 101 tasks so cooking and mealtimes often take a back seat. You'd love the family to eat together but it's rare to find everyone in at the same time. Meanwhile, your kids fill up on crisps or chocolate while you're ferrying them to and from music lessons, sports clubs and after-school events. Because life is hectic, you don't have time to cook, so often serve ready-prepared convenience foods. The result: your kids often have an unbalanced diet that's low in fruit and veg.
Make it healthier
Healthy meals don't have to take ages to cook. Wholewheat pasta with canned sweetcorn, tuna and tomato sauce or chicken stir-fry with noodles can be whipped up in minutes. Start delegating, too – older children can help to prepare meals, while younger ones can lay the table. And stock up on healthier snacks for when your children are on the move – dried and fresh fruit, yoghurt, wholemeal sandwiches and smoothies are great alternatives to fatty, sugary snacks.

Mostly C's
You're a 'flexible' parent
You make an effort to ensure your family eats healthily but you still want your children to enjoy food. This means you often give in to their demands for fatty and sugary foods at mealtimes and as snacks – and let them get away with skipping fruit and veg. Unfortunately, being so lenient means your children's diets probably aren't as good as they could be.
Make it healthier
Look at ways to make their favourite foods healthier – if chips are a hit, make your own by brushing potato wedges with sunflower oil and baking them in the oven, or make your own burgers using extra-lean mince. Treats are fine, but limit them to one a day. A balanced diet should include starchy, fibre-rich foods with each meal, five fruit and veg (find ones they like), three servings of low-fat dairy products like milk, cheese or yoghurt, and a couple of servings of lean meat, chicken, fish or beans.

Mostly D's
You're an 'cool' parent
Having children hasn't changed your lifestyle or diet that much. In fact, your children are used to trying all sorts of meals and are just as likely to eat sushi, hummus and Thai curry as they are cottage pie. This is great news as your children are prepared to try anything new and generally turn their noses up at nuggets and chips.
Make it healthier
It's great to encourage children to try new foods but you need to make sure they're having a healthy diet that contains enough protein, vitamins and minerals – soya yoghurt might be cool, but unless it's fortified it may not contain as much calcium as regular yoghurt! Keep a watch on the fat, sugar and salt your kids are having, too. Dips, sushi and Japanese rice crackers can be loaded with salt, while honey-coated nuts are high in sugar.

For healthy recipes and healthy eating information, visit www.munchbunch.co.uk

Copyright © 2008 allaboutyou.com